Kobe Bryant Quotes That Are Most Memorable and Inspiring

People all over the world are still reeling over the news of Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna’s sudden deaths. The basketball legend will be remembered for his skills on the court in addition to being a loving father, friend, teammate, husband and so much more.

Unfortunately, Bryant’s life was cut short at just 41 years old when his private helicopter crashed as they were headed to Thousand Oaks, California, for basketball practice at his Mamba Sports Academy. In addition to the former MVP and Gianna, pilot Ara Zobayan, Sarah Chester, her daughter, Payton Chester, college baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri Altobelli, and their 13-year-old daughter, Alyssa, were among the other victims of the accident on Sunday, January 26, the L.A. Times reported. Bryant and his daughter are survived by his wife, Vanessa Bryant, and the couple’s other children — Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 7 months.

Ultimately, Bryant died doing what he loved — playing basketball with his family. On Saturday, January 25, the father-daughter duo was spotted at her sports game at Mamba Sports Academy, where he coached Gianna and her friends as they faced off against the competition.

The athlete had big plans for the future, which he discussed in his last interview. “You got to do what you love to do. I love telling stories,” he told USA Today in a feature published on January 23. “I love inspiring kids or providing them with tools that are going to help them. I have an idea for an entire universe that centers around sports, fantasy and magic. It’s as if the Olympics and Harry Potter had a baby.”

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Bryant’s former teammate and friend Shaquille O’Neal got candid about their time together during a podcast on Monday, January 27. “My favorite stories are the ones — for example, I used to watch all of these great shows, and then you watch the real story of what really went on. It’s life, but it was always respect,” he said about their relationship. “Look, when I won the first championship, who was the first guy to jump in my arms? Kobe. He is going to be remembered. Everyone is going to honor him, but for me, this is going to hurt a long time.”

Even though not everyone knew Bryant, he clearly made an impact on the world. Following his death, murals and tributes around the world have been popping up in Los Angeles and New York City. There’s no doubt the dad of four’s legacy will live on for eternity. #TwentyFourever

Scroll through the gallery below to see Bryant’s most inspiring and uplifting quotes.

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Only Winners

“When we are saying this cannot be accomplished, this cannot be done, then we are short-changing ourselves. My brain, it cannot process failure. It will not process failure. Because if I have to sit there and face myself and tell myself, ‘You are a failure,’ I think that is almost worse than dying.”

Believe in Yourself

“When you make a choice and say, ‘Come hell or high water, I am going to be this,’ then you should not be surprised when you are that. It should not be something that is intoxicating or out of character because you have seen this moment for so long that — when that moment comes, of course it is here because it has been here the whole time because it has been [in your mind] the whole time.”

For the Love of the Game

“There’s a choice that we have to make as people, as individuals. If you want to be great at something there is a choice you have to make. We can all be masters at our craft, but you have to make a choice. What I mean by that is, there are inherent sacrifices that come along with that — family time, hanging out with your friends, being a great friend, being a great son, nephew, whatever the case may be. There are sacrifices that come along with that.”